002 | Video

[firewalled]

Name: Rich Goranski
Date: Backdated to Oct 14
Format: Video for initial post; various in comments

[Without so much as an introduction, a video plays. It's a little shaky with the recorder's nerves, and occasionally, a long talon partly covers the view of the scene, but it still shows what it needs to quite clearly.

Eventually, even with the struggle still continuing, the camera is turned away from the action, towards Rich. He has to hope what he just got will be enough to get the Coven to actually believe him this time, but right now, he doesn't have time to wait around. Direct action is needed, so he pings the friends he trusted: Michael Mell, Myr, and Niles. The message is still sent to everyone, however, so everyone can view the video and the panic in Rich's eyes when the camera is turned back to him.]

The SQUIP has lost it. It's going full villain again and I need back up. Meet me near the inn, I think it's trying to take Heere there.

[Without an explanation of what entails the SQUIP going full villain or who 'Heere' may be, he continues.]

Everyone else, please stay safe and-[He's cut off by something happening off screen, which makes him swear and stuff his watch into his pocket. There's about a minute more of muffled yelling and darkness before the recording eventually ends.]

~*~

[Hours later, there's another video tacked on to the earlier one, once the mist has finally started to fade away. Rich is back inside, his changes from before calming down enough that he isn't at risk of burning down Justine's whole cottage. He looks tired and worn, a few nasty scrapes on his face, but... there is a sort of relief in his expression, some sort of certainty that, no matter what happens next, he did what was right.]

Hey everyone. Sorry about that... I know I promised to be less of a downer the next time I posted on here, but... shit happens.

I'm just letting everyone know the SQUIP is knocked out. It had been using magic to charm and mind control several people, including someone I was bonded to, Justine, and a friend from home, Jeremy Heere.

Two of the people it was Bonded with, Linden Tailor and Connor, are also unconscious... guess some sort of trauma went through the connection when we stopped it. Since it was actively using mind control magic, I used Mountain Dew Red to deactivate... the part of it that was still a supercomputer, I guess. It should recover fine, and while it's passed out, I'm going to bring the recording to the Coven so they can see I wasn't lying when I told them what it did in my world.

If any of you were being controlled by it, let me know. It got to quite a few people when I saw it, but its powers should have worn off by now. It can be... a little traumatic, though, so my door's open if you wanna talk. Hopefully now that the SQUIP was... de-SQUIPped, somehow, this shouldn't happen again.

[With another tired wave, Rich signs off. He'd love to stay and chat but... he's pretty sure his roommates are still going to need a little more help in the fallout.]

((Everyone is free to respond! Rich will respond when he's done dealing with his roomies, who are likely either a) dealing with mind control withdrawal or b) having panic attacks over the SQUIP. Other players on Team Anti-Bastard Computer Man will also be responding a few hours after the events of the battle, providing information on what went down and vouching that yes, Shit Was Bad.))

Comments

Video;

[showsnopiety]

It did what to who?

[She's fond of Justine. But also...]

Where are Linden and Connor now?

Re: Video;

[firewalled]

It used mind control spells. On a lot of people. It tried to use one on me too, so I know that's what it was doing.

[He feels that there really wasn't any other plan of action when the SQUIP was that powerhungry...]

They're both at their homes. We're trying to make sure they're checked on so they don't end up getting worse. Connor lives nearby, so I've at least been checking on him. I think Myr said he'd take care of Linden.

Private; Audio;

[ishisstrength]

Connor is alright.

I am taking care of him until he wakes up.

[She's tired and in pain but Justine isn't particularly focused on herself right now.]

audio;

[wiggleon]

Rich!

[He... isn't sure how to even react, he's still not used to caring about humans, in particular instead of about humanity in general and he definitely cares about Rich. And so he settles for:] What happened?!

audio;

[firewalled]

[Rich sighs and rubs a hand over his face as he turns his audio back on. He... probably should have expected as much from Aziraphale, yes, but he still has a feeling it would be easier if he just kept out of it, since unfortunately, this wasn't a situation that could be solved peacefully.]

It's just what I said. The SQUIP was trying to brainwash people again. My friends from home, too. I didn't have any choice but to fight him off.

[He lets out a soft snort of laughter.]

By the way, I was supposed to tell you, right? Michael's here.

audio;

[ishisstrength]

[Justine doesn't know this man but she's heard a little bit about him through Rich.]

He's alright now but we're trying to continue to keep him safe. If you could keep looking out for him. I'm sure that will help.

Action;

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Rich is sure to run into Jeremy soon. It would be hard to avoid him, since they live in the same house and Jeremy is adamantly refusing to leave.

When Michael's not there, Jeremy is huddled up in a dark corner with something of Michael's, a shirt or a pillow. He doesn't get up any more than he has to. He's finally out of his blood-stained t-shirt and pants, but he feels uncomfortable and gross in the nicer period clothes Justine's given him.

Jeremy's got a *thing* about letting other people dress him, after all.

He sees the update video and he's proud of Rich. He's really proud of Rich. So after some more Mope Time, Rich gets treated to a Jeremy hovering outside his door, hugging a pillow to his chest and feeling really stupid about letting someone else see it.]

[firewalled]

[Rich has certainly seen Jeremy around, but that's about all that's happened so far. He's been careful to give Jeremy space, certain he was intimidated or scared, and Rich definitely didn't want to add to the difficulties Jeremy was already facing.

He'd been glad to at least see Jeremy get a change of clothes, and to accept them. He knows how hard that must have been for the guy, even when it was clear that Justine wouldn't have had any poor intentions. He's proud of him too... so when Jeremy comes to his room, he immediately gets a smile from Rich, even if it's a little more subdued than usual.]

Hey, Jere... didn't know you were awake.

[Justine had already left the room, going about her morning chores, so the two of them would at least be able to talk alone.]

Come on in.

way later, grandpa doesn't internet

[niespodzianka]

What the fuck
you okay

damn old farts not getting millennials

[firewalled]

yeah im fine
been dealing with it since i got here
and years before that
nothing it could do that i havent seen before

just pissed it got to my friends

[Not that that was much of a surprise either, since Jeremy was already one of its hosts.]

[hoboagogo]

[Sorry, Rich, it has been SEVERAL DAYS.... as this was happening, he was busy being a monstrous beast and trying to chomp on people, and then spent the next few just... hiding out by himself and not checking his watch.

So of course it's like three days later as he sees.... all this. And he doesn't even know where to begin on a lot of it, other than:]

so uh
you took care of the brain robot?

[firewalled]

[Hiding out is perfectly valid after the mess that was that weird mist. Rich had plenty of things to deal with after the fallout anyways, and not just from the fight with the SQUIP. Others had encountered him before then, after all, when he was still adjusting to his brand spankin' new house-sized dragon form.

He's glad to hear from Shinjiro though, even if the poor guy has no idea what was going on.]

yeah i think so
pretty sure the part of it that was brain robot is gone now
so hopefully he cant go around fucking brainwashing my friends again


Text

[ishisstrength]

I recommend being a little delicate with your questions.

[audio]

[onamissile]

[Mello's on the Harbor, making his rounds with the locals for various pieces of information regarding the goings-on with shipments when he catches the video.]

[This is why he hasn't heard from L in a few days.]

Where the fuck is Linden.

[Rich might recognize his voice, might not. Irrelevant. There's an impatient bite to his tone. This isn't what L had told him was their dynamic when he explained the Bond.]

audio;

[faithlikeaseed]

[Who the fuck is asking, Myr wants to respond and doesn't.]

At home, being cared for.

[text; private]

[ishisstrength]

Linden is safe.

text | un: reddeer

[rightfoot]

What is Mountain Dew Red?

text;

[firewalled]

[...Ah, right. Some people here aren't from modern times. Poor guy.]

soft drink from back in the 80s
got discontinued in my world back in 1989
its the only thing that gets a squip to power down

Action for Rich

[ishisstrength]

Are you sure you're alright?

[It's a little later that day when Justine returns to their room to find Rich sitting on the floor. She'd tried to find some books for him but she doesn't think he's too interested in reading right now.] You shouldn't push yourself. It's okay to take some time.

[She places a plate with a sandwich next to him and takes a seat at his side. It's been difficult since their return but Justine's been trying her best not to think about it. SQUIP had her under his influence since her death months before... maybe before Rich had been in the city. She doesn't know and she's too uncertain of herself to ask.]

What can I do for you?

[She wants to focus on him and Michael and Jeremy...]

[firewalled]

[Rich hasn't been interested in reading. He's certainly tried, but he finds himself reading the same sentence over and over, and then skipping paragraphs in his impatience. He can't focus properly on anything, unless he's doing absolutely nothing, just staring at the floor, hearing his breath through his nose and the soft creaking of the old cottage.

He's so focused on the little sounds that it takes him a moment to realize Justine's there. He jumps, and then smiles weakly at her.]

I'm alright. Tired, I guess. I'm trying to work on resting now.

[Even though the thought of sleeping seems... terrifying at the moment.]

Are Michael and Jeremy still doing okay?

[That's not an answer to her question, but he honestly can't imagine asking her for anything right now. She's been through enough because of him.]

[voice]

[horkbajir]

[Days later:]

It seems the misty days were eventful for everyone. I am glad that you prevailed.

[A pause.]

You left it alive.

[voice]

[firewalled]

I did. I... didn't want to kill it. I know it deserves it, but... if there's any way to stop it without doing that, I feel like I should try that first.

Deactivating it might work. So fingers crossed.

[It's a struggle, to hear some people angry he almost killed it, and some angry he didn't have the courage to go through with killing it. He really doesn't know whether or not he made a mistake.]

voice;

[faithlikeaseed]

[Myr adds in, quietly, after Rich has spoken,]

Its Bonded would have taken it to the Coven for resurrection, had we killed it. Ensuring it was in no state to revive would have been a horror on top of murder.

[Which he could've done, he's sure, or left to Niles, but that was not something to have resting on Rich's conscience.



Besides, Linden had asked him not to take it away.]

[video]

[spaghettimonster]

[At this point, Papyrus is recovering, both from his long illness and the effects of the mist. He's much furrier than before his hospitalization, and the skeletal wings are new and full enough that it's probably apparent that they're souvenirs from last night. And right now, he's appalled by what he's hearing.]

SQUIP was.... mind controlling people? Like in Dorchacht...?

[His eyesockets shift to the side as he ventures a guess that he doesn't quite believe, but hopes is true. After all, he's seen a lot of injured people getting brought into the hospital since properly waking up, and heard people talking about it all.]

Was it the mist? Messing him up so bad... he did awful things?

[video]

[firewalled]

[For a moment, Rich is relieved to see Papyrus back on his feet again. He had attempted to visit the skeleton a few times during his illness, but had been shooed out pretty quickly by Coven healers that didn't know how infectious the illness was. It's nice to see him mostly recovered now... Rich just wishes it could have waited a little bit longer. He sighs and rubs a hand over his face.]

It was controlling people like it did in Dorchacht and like it did in my world, Papyrus.

The mist is a nice thought, and it probably did have something to do with it deciding to be so obvious about its control, but... this is what the SQUIP does. It controlled some of my friends here for months.

It controlled me for two years. It's usually subtle about it, but that's still what it does.

[And to face off against something as focused on manipulating and harming people as it was, he had to take drastic measures. That only makes sense, right?]